impedance matching

the technique of choosing or adjusting electric circuits and components so that the impedance of the load is equal to the internal impedance of the power source, thereby optimizing the power transfer from source to load.

impedance matchingA technique of electric circuit design in which one component provides power to another, and the output circuit of the first component has the same impedance as the input circuit of the second component. Maximum power transfer is achieved when the impedances in both circuits are exactly the same. Impedance matching is important wherever power needs to be transmitted efficiently, as in the design of power lines, transformers, and signal-processing devices such as audio and computer circuits.